Sunday, June 22, 2008

I picked these cherries this morning while G-tot napped and JQ sprayed the weeds in the front bed. The tree in our backyard is full of ripe cherries and I wanted to get to some of them before the birds descended upon the fruit & took off with it all.

I needed the ladder to reach the majority of the little red cherries and even with the 6 foot ladder there are huge sections of the tree that I just cannot reach. My take was two full quarts and I barely scratched the surface of the tree. I could easily get another six quarts—but hand picking them is tedious. What I need is one of those scoop type things they use to harvest cranberries.

These are really tart cherries and I'm not sure what to do with them. I may try my hand at canning some. I may make a cherry bumble (with vodka and rock candy) or soak them in brandy. I may even try a cherry tart (although I'm not crazy about baked fruit). Any other suggestions are welcome.

My Mom stopped by while I was on the ladder, head up in the branches of the tree. Her first words as she stepped out of the car were, "You look like a farmer!". And you know what? I sort of felt like a farmer. Tending to the gardens and the fruit tree makes me feel very earthy and domestic. It's a labor of love and I really do enjoy it. When we eat the food we've grown on our property I get that earth-mother feeling all over again.